Railroad-car



I (No Model.)

2 Sheets8heet 1. M. B. SGHAFPERr RAILROAD UAR.

Patented June 16, 1896.

ANDREW DERAHAMJHOTO-Ll'mo WASIHNGTONJ! C 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No Model) M. B. SCI-I'AFFER.

. RAILROAD GAR. No. 662,037 Patented June 16, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORSE B. SOHAFFER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL BOLSTER COMPANY, OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,037, dated June 16, 1896.

Application filed February 1896. Serial No. 578,080. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I," MORSE B. SOHAFFER,

a citizen of the United States, residing'at'St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented 5 a new and useful Improvement in Railroad- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, mainly, to the drawgear of a railroad-car, and is specially adapted to that class of draw gear known as the American continuous draw-bar.

In theordinary draw-gear the buffer-block, the truss-rod washer, the follower-guides or carry-irons, the follower-stops or lug-irons, and the car-coupler chafing-irons, as also the I 5 brake-staff step or holder, the brake-staff lower bearing, and the inside bearing for the coupling-pin lifting-rod are separate pieces secured to the draw-timbers or car-body, as the case may be, by bolts orscrews, which, be-

ing subject to constant strain, become loosened or bent and eventually cause the displacement or fracture of one or more of the pieces, which necessitates frequent and expensive repairs.

My invention has for its object to reduce the number of separate pieces and fastenings now used, and to substitute therefor an integral composite construction of great strength and resistance, whereby the durability of the 0 parts and greater safety are insured.

The invention consists in features ofv novelty hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, whereon Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the draw-bar and its appendages, constructed and arranged according to my invention and applied to the end of a railroad- .car, broken away; Fig. 2, a plan of the improved draw-gear, taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1,

omitting the car-sills; Fig. 3, a transverse section through the draw-bar on line 8 3 in Fig.

1, showing the adjacent parts of the drawgear in front end elevation; Figs. 4 and 5 are views of the draw-gear, broken away, corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showingamodification of myinvention. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation, to enlarged scale, of

acomposite part of the improved draw-gear 5o detached; Fig. 7, a vertical longitudinal section of the same on line 7 7 in Fig. 8; Figs 8 and 9, a plan and front elevation, respectively, thereof; and Figs. 10 and 11,transverse sections on line 10 10 in Figs. 6 and 7, looking to the left and right, respectively.

' Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

Arepresents the end portion of a railroadcar', broken away, having the usual end sill a, side sills b, and draw-timbers c. Longitudinally between the draw-timbers c, at and for a suitable distance rearward from their front ends, are two vertically-arranged side plates or analogous parts d, (see particularly Figs. 6 to 11,) which are parallel and opposite to each other at a suitable distance apart, and preferably bear against the inside faces of the corresponding draw-timbers c, to which they are secured by bolts 6. Each side plate d is formed or provided on its face adjacent to the draw-timber c with a'vertical or otherwise arranged rib or projection f, which is joggled into the draw-timber c, and in conjunction with the bolts 6 prevents longitudinal play of the plate cl. The two plates (Z are united at their rear ends, or thereabout, preferably for their full depth thereat, by a vertical cross-piece g, which, conjointly with the plates cl, is practically the substitute-or equivalent of the separate follower-stops or lugirons now used. On the inside face of the connecting-piece g is a fixed horizontally-projectingpin or stud h, which engages with the draw-bar i, as hereinafter more particularly referred to.

' The side plates (Z are preferably widened or directed upward for some distance from their front ends, the upper horizontal edges of these widened portionsj bearing against the under side of the end sill a.

The front ends of the side plates 61 are formed or provided on each side of their intervening opening B with an outwardly-di rected flange 7a, which extends over the front ends of the draw-timbers c and upward and across the top edges of the plates (1, which are thereby united. This upper part of the flange 7c bears against the end of the car A and is used as a washer for the nuts of the truss-rods Z, (in lieu of the separate washerplate now used,) by which the flange 7c is preferably secured to the car-body.

The draw-bar t (shown with. an automatic coupler C) is arranged longitudinally in the opening B and space between the side plates (1, the free end of the pin or stud h, before named, passing freely through a corresponding hole m in the rear end of the draw-bar 71, which is thereby supported and at the same time free to slide on the fixed pin 7L. From the outer face of the flange 70, immediately above the opening 13, projects a block 11, which constitutes the buffer-block or stop to the safety lug 0 of the coupler G (or drawbar head, as the case may be) in lieu of the separate buffer-block timber now bolted to the end sill of the car. On the outer face of the flange 7c is formed a bearing 19 for the inner end of the coupling-pin lifting-rod q and brackets or bearings r r for the foot and lower end portion, respectively, of thebrakestaff 3, the bearings 9 r a", being preferably in one piece with the flange 7c, in lieu of separate pieces screwed to the car-body as at present. From the rear or inner face of the flange k, adjoining the outsides of the plates d, are projecting brackets or pockets 25, into which the front ends of the draw-timbers c are inserted and butt against the back of the flange it, so as to be thereby protected from exposure and injury. Bolts 10 pass through the floors of the pockets 1, through the drawtimbers c, and end sills a, and firmly secure the parts together.

The upright corners or edge '21, formed by the junction of the plates 01 with the flanges at the sides of the openingB, are preferably made convex horizontally and project somewhat beyond the plates d toward each other to the required distance for maintaining the alinement of the draw-bard, thereby dispensing with the separate chafing-irons now used for that purpose. The lower edges of the side plates d, at and for a suitable distance rearward from the front edges 'v, are extended downward and flanged inward thereat toward each other, so as to form brackets or supports a: for the ends of the draw-bar carry-iron y;

but, if desired, the draw-bar carry-iron may beotherwise held or secured in place.

' Between the rear connecting-piece g of the plates cl and the corresponding end of the draw-bar i are placed the draw-springs 2, which surround the fixed pin h, the latter being the substitute for the tail-pin now used for carrying the draw-springs.

Fixed in the draw-bar v) is a key a, which projects horizontally flatwise from each side of the draw-bar i and passes through the slots b 0, formed longitudinally through the side plates (Z and draw-timbersc, respectively, the outer ends of the key a engaging in the slotted ends 6 of the continuous rods f, which transmit the movement of the drawbar .2 to the corresponding draw-bar at the other end of the car in the usual well-known manner.

The various parts above described-that is to say, the side plates (Z and their connectingpieceg, the pin or stud 71, the flange 7o, having the block a, the bearings p r 0' a, the pockets t, and front edges vare preferably combined in one piece of cast-steel integral throughout, the whole forming a strong, compact, durable composite structure having its parts inseparable and interdependent and dispensing with the multiplicity of fastenin now required for holding the separate pieces firmly to the car-body. Moreover, by my invention the strains incurred by the drawgear are distributed over the entire bearingsurface of the combined parts instead of on the limited bearing-surface of each part, thereby lessening the liability to displacement and fracture and insuring greater safety.

Figs. 4c and 5 show the adaptation of my invention to the ordinarysystem or non-continuous draw-bar. In this arrangement the end piece 9 before described is omitted and the side plates cl connected together for a suitable distance from their rear ends by a bottom horizontal web g, having straight portions g adjoining the plates cl, these straight portions 9 forming guides for the front and rear follower-plates h 7L2, respectively. lietween the follower-plates h 7L2 are placed the draw-springs i, which, with the followerplates h 77, surround the bolt j, carried by the draw-bar k, the bolt j having a key Z behind the rear follower-plateh in the usual well-known manner. On the inside faces of the plates (1 are formed opposite ribs or lugs mm which form stops to the follower-plates h 7L2, respectively. The said parts-that is to say, the connecting-web g, the guides and stops m m -are preferably cast in one piece with the side plates cl and the other parts of the composite structure before described.

I do not limit myself to cast-steel as the material used in the formation of the con1- posite part of my improved draw-gear above described, as the same result may be obtained with pressed metal or with sheet metal shaped and riveted together into practically a single piece.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.-

1. In a car draw-gear, the combination with. the draw-bar having continuous rods, and with the draw-bar carry-iron, of two opposite side plates having a rear conneeting-piece, a pin projecting from the said piece, a spring surrounding the pin, and means for fastening the plates to the draw-timbers and carbody, substantially as described.

2. In a car draw-gear, the combination with the draw-bar, having continuous rods, and with the draw-bar carry-iron, of two opposite side plates flanged at their front ends, and having a rear connecting-piece, a pin projecting from the said piece, a spring surrounding the pin, and means for fastening the plates to the draw-timbers and car-body, substantially as described.

3. In a car draw-gear, the combination with the coupler and draw-bar having continuous rods, and with the draw-bar carry-iron,.of two opposite side plates flanged at their front ends, the said plates having longitudinal slotways, and having a rear connecting-piece, a pin projecting from the said piece, springs surrounding the pin, a block projecting from the said flange, and means for fastening the plates and flange to the draw-timbers and car-body respectively, substantially as described.

4. In a car draw-gear, the combination of two opposite side plates flanged at their front ends, the said flange having pockets for inclosing the front ends of the draw-timbers, and means for fastening the plates and pockplates and flange having brackets respectively, all the said parts being cast in one piece, substantially as described.

MORSE B. SCHAFFER. Witnesses:

EDWARD F. GALTRO,

EDWARD W. FURRELL. 

